Security Agencies break into the Terror cell that attempted to assassinate Gen. Katumba Wamala.

By; Ben Musanje

2^nd July 2021

Security comprising of the Police and the army has announced the arrest of two other persons suspected to have participated in the attempted assassination of Gen Katumba Wamala on June,1, 2021.

Addressing journalists today at the Police head offices in Naguru, the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Maj Gen Paul Lokech said last night, security basing on information from the earlier arrested suspects carried out yet another operation in different parts of greater Kampala Metropolitan Area where they arrested Juma Said(a chapati seller) and Juma Sserwadda, both residents of Namuwongo who are currently in custody.

Lokech said before the main shooter was killed, he had informed to their team that the gun was with one Mukwasi.

However, upon arrest, Mukwasi claimed that Amin also known as Mustapha Ramathan Kawawa had picked the gun from him but upon arrest, he claimed the gun had been handed over to Juma Sserwadda.

According to security the ordeal took them to Kagoma and later Nansana in a bid to solve the puzzle on where the killer guns had been kept but noted that later, Amin opened up to say the gun was with a chapatti seller in Namuwongo identified as Juma Said, prompting security to raid his home.

Juma was found at his home in Kanyogoga zone, Bukasa parish in Namuwongo and upon interrogation, he opened up that the guns had been kept under a chicken shelter where security found two SMG rifles and one pistol properly wrapped and concealed underground.

He noted that as operatives were searching the home of Juma Said, Amin tried to escape, prompting security to shoot him dead in the resultant scuffle.

The major breakthrough was as a result of the man leads, that were actively pursued by the task team, and led to the arrest of Muhammad Kagugube alias BAFUMOYA on the 26.06.2021.  Upon interrogation, he admitted to having participated in the violent attack, when he carried out surveillance on the movement of General Katumba Wamala from his home.  He immediately alerted the assault team, as soon as he spotted him and the direction he was taking.  After alerting the assault team, he went up to Bukoto near Oryx Petrol Station, where he waited for the two guns, but received only one and rode away with it.

The suspect provided details, which led to the arrest of Walusimbi Kamada alias MUDINKA alias OGEMA, one of the riders who transported the shooters.  Upon his arrest, he led the team, in reconstructing the scene and clearly demonstrated how the double murder and attempted assassination took place.  And how he transported his shooter called KANAABE, through Kisota-Kisaasi-Bukoto upto Sebagala road, where he handed over the motorcycle to the shooter, Kanaabe.  A thorough search was conducted at all his known premises and valuable exhibits of a black helmet, 10 jackets, and one of the motorcycles used in the planning, preparation and execution of the plot recovered.

The task team proceeded to Kawanda village and arrested KISAMBIRA SIRIMAN alias Mukwasi who received one of the killer weapons, from Lutwama Hussein alias Master, which he also later handed over to another member of the terror cell known as Mustafa Kawawa Ramadan alias AMIN alias MUSA.  Also recovered from him was a motorcycle, under registration number UEJ283L which was used in the plot.

The team followed up and arrested Mustafa Kawawa Ramadan alias AMIN alias MUSA, from his home in Maganjo “B” LC1, Seruwumba Sub-zone, Maganjo Parish, Nabweru Division.

The task team further tracked down and arrested Lubwama Hussein alias Kinene Christopher alias MASTER, a resident of Kabulengwa – Kyebando in Nansana Municipality; who was arrested along Nansana Nabweru road.  The suspect who was the team leader and head of the domestic terror cell, put up very stiff resistance to the extent of grabbing a gun from an officer, but was subdued by the task team and later succumbed to the injuries, Lokech said.

Security says the overall coordination of these domestic terror cells is by Sheikh ABUDIN HUBAIDA TAHEEL BUKENYA, an ex-ADF combatant who was given Amnesty, but has violated it.  He is reactivating the domestic terror cells and is the brain behind the recruitment of assailants like Muhammad Kagugube alias BAFUMOYA and Lubwama Hussein alias Kinene Christopher alias Master.

Gen Lokech says the recovered two suspected killer guns of SMG make and a pistol when they subjected them to the forensic analysis in the police laboratory, it was discovered they had been used in the earlier murders of AIGP Andrew Felix Kaweesi and Maj Muhammad Kigundu in 2017 and 2016 respectively.

These are the suspects who on June 1st attempted to assassinate Gen Edward Katumba Wamala at Kisota road in Kulambiro where his daughter Brenda Nantongo and driver Haruna Kayondo were killed on spot.